eBargain hunters

NEWS 21
Thursday, 30-12-10
goldcoast.com.au
Living here parenting
eBargain hunters
WITH ALICE GORMAN
SANTA’S been and gone. The
presents have been unwrapped,
the food has made its way to the
hips and by now the post-Christmas fug has set in.
Yesterday I navigated my way
through the toy chaos in the
lounge and had two thoughts:
‘‘OMG! There’s still four weeks
before school starts’’ and ‘‘We
have way too many toys. It’s time
for a clear-out’’.
There’s not much I can do about
my first problem but for the
second issue there’s an easy solution – online selling.
I am a keen shopper of great
repute and have flirted with eBay
over the years, but usually for buying, not selling.
The time had arrived to turn the
tables, break out the digital camera
and upload some of our prized
possessions to the web in the hope
of fetching a good price.
‘‘FOR SALE: Handy husband, in
good pre-loved condition, cooks
dinner, drinks beer, snores. Must
go to a good home. Please make
me an offer.’’
But seriously, why stay on the
toy treadmill (pick them up, tip
them out, pick them up) when the
toys in question could find a new,
loving home?
Mums worldwide swear by eBay
as a forum for buying and selling
toys, cots, strollers, baby clothes,
breast pumps and unwanted
Christmas presents.
Mum of two Amardy Baucke
bought most of her baby-related
purchases second hand on eBay
and says she’s even made friends
while buying and selling online.
When Amardy was pregnant
with her daughter Marley, 2, she
was ready to hit the shops for a
new cot, stroller and change table.
Then her husband suggested she
take a look online.
‘‘I, like many mums, thought ‘It’s
my first baby, everything has to be
fresh and new’,’’ she said.
‘‘I had preconceived notions
about second hand – that it would
be yucky.’’
But if you buy well that is not
the case, she says.
‘‘Everything to do with the baby
we bought from eBay,’’ she says.
‘‘Up to the age of six months
your baby is not eating and they’re
not doing much to ruin their toys
gormana@goldcoast.com.au
Amardy has these tips for mums
keen to sell to other mums: have
an auction end time between noon
and 2pm – naptime – so mums are
free to bid in the dying moments
of the auction.
Offer local pick-up to avoid
expensive postage fees and to
encourage more buyers.
Be flexible about pick-up times.
Be honest about the condition of
the items you are selling – don’t
sell damaged or broken goods as it
will only lead to problems.
If you’re keen to sell some of
your child-related paraphernalia,
also check out www.babykids
market.com.au and www.gum
tree.com.au
If you’d rather give your goods
to someone, drop them to the
SalvationArmy, St Vincent de Paul
or try www.freecycle.org – a forum
for swapping used goods.
Getting started on eBay
a descriptive title
1 Use
Start your auction off with a
low price to attract more atten2
tion and interest
It’s much better to surprise
3
than disappoint: don’t overstate
your item just to add ‘sizzle’ to
your listing
Bundle up your goods – toys
and clothes will sell better as
part of a pack than by themselves
Use a photo to encourage
more buyers and make sure
you show any areas of damage to
prevent later complaints
Use eBay’s listing designer
tool to improve the visual
appeal of your listing
List items in the right category
to attract a bigger audience
Specify your postage and manage buyers’ expectations so
they know the total cost upfront.
Cheap postage can be a deal-closer
Allow local pick-up – particularly for larger items
Be sure to specify your
return policy to ensure
there are no problems post-sale
4
5
Amardy Baucke with her two kids and a playhouse bought from eBay
or clothes so they’re usually in
good condition.’’
Some of her eBay purchase
highlights include paying $10 for a
near-new breastfeeding pillow that
retails for $180; paying $70 for a
near-new cot and reselling it on
eBay later for $110; and paying $35
for a Baby Bjorn clamshell baby
bag which retails for $200.
Amardy says if you buy from
Gold Coast sellers you can collect
your items and avoid expensive
postage fees. And you may even
make a new friend.
‘‘I have met a few people
through eBay. Mums are really
cool,’’ she says.‘‘I bought a breastfeeding pillow that sells new for
$180, for $10.
‘‘I bought something for $10 and
she gave me about $200 worth of
stuff. I believe in paying it forward
so when a mum came over to collect something from me I also
threw in a pram.’’
When son Kaius, 1, came along
after Marley, Amardy hit eBay
again to stock up on boys’ clothes.
‘‘It’s just so easy, once you get
the hang of it – snap a photo and
boom, it’s done,’’ she says.
6
7
8
9
10
Follow us on facebook
Gold Coast
Bulletin
Parenting page
2010
BABY
Book
2010’s most Treasured Keepsake!
Make sure your latest addition is included in this years Baby Book!
Submit photo and details online www.goldcoast.com.au/babybook
Submissions close 11th January 2011
Published 1st February 2011
For further details go to www.goldcoast.com.au/babybook
Dinner
in 20
minutes
Time poor? Never fear.
Each day we will include a fast, simple
recipe guaranteed to be a hit with the
kids and most importantly it will only
take 20 minutes (or less) to whip it up
Chicken pasta bake
Ingredients (serves 4)
300g penne pasta
1 onion, finely chopped
300ml light thickened cream
310g can corn kernels, drained
2⁄3 cup (80g) frozen peas
½ cup (40g) grated parmesan
½ barbecue chicken, meat removed and
roughly chopped
Salt and pepper
Cup (85g) low-fat tasty cheese
Method
Cook the penne in a large saucepan of
salted boiling water according to
packet instructions or until al dente.
Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a large
non-stick frying pan over medium
heat. Add the onion and cook for 5
minutes or until softened (do not allow
to brown). Add the cream, bring to a
simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Stir
through the corn, peas, parmesan and
chicken. Cook for another 2-3 minutes,
then add the penne. Season with salt
and pepper. Stir until well combined.
Preheat an oven grill on medium heat.
Transfer the chicken mixture into a
4-cup capacity baking dish. Scatter
with the cheese and place under
preheated grill. Cook for 3-4 minutes
or until golden on top. To serve,
sprinkle with chopped flat-leaf parsley
if desired.
Source: www.taste.com.au
Send your recipes for
Dinner in 20 minutes to
editorial@goldcoast.com.au